The End of an Era, the Start of a Debate

The Key for the week of October 1, 2024

The end of an era, the start of a debate

With the passing this week of the Hit King, Pete Rose, the debate starts—will he finally get into the MLB Hall of Fame? Even Pete himself speculated that he might have to die to be able to make it to Cooperstown. He wanted to be around to see it, but that was not to be. Instead, fans and sportswriters alike are left to consider the possibility that now, he might be recognized for his abilities between the lines, not his faults outside them. The debate is just starting. 

What’s next for his legacy? 

To say his legacy resembles a Greek tragedy is an understatement. All it takes is reading the many books or even watching HBO’s “Charlie Hustle and the Matter of Pete Rose” to make even the casual observer think about what could have been without the scandals. People under 30 see Pete Rose as a flawed former player who served time for tax evasion and broke one of MLB’s cardinal rules about gambling. Those over that age remember Pete as one of the stellar players and students of the game, maybe not the most talented, but the most passionate. When he agreed to be banned from the game for gambling in 1989, he fully expected to be reinstated sometime down the road. I’m sure he never suspected that road would end like this. 

And then there’s MLB embracing gambling sites

The dichotomy of it all, of course, is while MLB has signs in the clubhouse about not gambling, it also is taking money from gambling sites as sponsors. As recently as when Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter was arrested this year for illegal gambling, Rose said, “If I had an interpreter, I’d be in the Hall of Fame.” MLB’s involvement in gambling is much like Pete’s legacy in baseball—it’s complicated.